Some of my favorite camp memories are of lots of friends and family, huddled around the fire, creating goodness over the campfire.

We don't do much camping anymore because I like pretending to be a spoiled princess in fancy hotels with shopping stores all around instead. I'm a girly girl and nothing can compete with all that sparkly stuff! ...not even the mosquito, dust filled, hard ground-sleeping, dirty romantically, glorious outdoors! But once in awhile I put my tomboy on and meet my Maker in the raw outdoors, thankful for this breathtaking playground God gave us.

My boys are pretty pleased when we set tents up all over the bumpy ground too! ;)

Father's Day 2011

The first camp snack I'm sharing has the most adorable name: Kiss Pies. This {easy peasy} recipe is from the Picky Palate website. I've been a long-time fan of her SWEET creations and these Kissy Pies grabbed my attention immediately because of the name.

You can prepare these in your camp trailer or at home before you take off down the windy roads. For the full recipe, visit Picky Palate. You can use any type of Hershey Kisses. I think the cherry filled ones would be extra tasty! I used the caramel ones for this batch.

It doesn't get any more simple and perfect than Famous Hershey Kisses snuggled and pinched in pie crust and dusted with sugar.

Kisses...

The NEXT camp recipes are made right over the fire (as they should be!)...

lil helpers

Snacking on the classic s'more

Changing the classic s'more up

by using flavored marshmallows

When you want something different from the classic s'more, try campfire banana boats:bananas stuffed with chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch, and marshmallows and cooked over the fire! I PREFER these over s'mores any day actually! I discovered this recipe years ago in an old, worn camp food book I have and I'm so glad I tried it!

In addition to a bundle of bananas, you'll need: chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and butterscotch chips. You can also try white chocolate chips or any flavor combo you think sounds RIGHT. You'll also need a bag of marshmallows. I used the flavored swirled caramel ones.

Slice the banana lengthwise with the peel still on! Gently open it up and with a knife or spoon, push some of the banana to the sides to create a vessel that will hold the sugar goodness.

This is the fun part that kids like to assist with! Stuff those nanners with whatever fillings you prefer.
I cut the marshmallows in half to help them fit better.

When you're done, gently close the banana (peel is still on!!) and wrap firmly in heavy duty foil.

Your banana dessert is ready to be put over the fire!

Keep them in the coals for about 5-6 minutes, until fillings are melted. Open up and eat with a spoon! These are SO delicious!

The boys got to roast the extra marshmallows, CLASSIC.

The last camp recipe is Elote corn. Elote is the Mexican name for corn on the cob, but it's 10 times better than the traditional kind! Elote is a popular street fair food! It is an ideal camping dish because it can be prepared over the fire. I found my recipe out of a book I have called Food on a Stick.

Here's the down low loves:

You'll need:

real deal mayo

limes

butter (not margarine)

chili powder

salt and pepper, garlic salt, and cumin is desired

Cotija cheese or Parmesan

There are TWO ways to prepare these!

You can grill your corn in husks until roasted then peel the husks and spread on the mixture of mayonnaise, butter, and lime juice and top with cheese and seasonings

OR

You can remove husks and:

Prepare foil squares for each corn cob and set corn on sheets.

Spread softened butter over each corn cob. Then spread on the mayonnaise.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

I JUST shared my DreamList (bucket list) with you on my last post. One of the highlighted ones has just been checked off in full color! To celebrate our 30th birthdays, Chris and I took a lil trip to Golden, Colorado, to meet Bill Phillips---author of best selling book: Body for Life, the supplement King, and an international fitness guru! Bill Phillips has been on my list of incredible people I would love to meet for many reasons. First of all, my personal mission in life is to inspire and to be inspired. And, his life has generously been spent inspiring countless people to live fuller,better, authentic lives. Beyond his admirable success in business and in new fitness developments, is his depth. Bill Phillips feels life deeply and lives with solid purpose. He has used his resources and exceptional talent to burn passion within people's hearts and to propel change in everyday lives. To actually get a chance to personally spend a weekend with him was a *pinch me several times* moment!

A few months ago, my parents, brother, and the rest of us were eating dinner together at Texas Roadhouse. We were having a conversation and asking each other what 3 people in the world we would want to eat dinner with if we could. I listed Bill Phillips as one of mine. Well.....fast forward to last weekend. I LITERALLY ate dinner with Bill Phillips right across the table. ;) Who says dreams don't come true?

Right now Bill Phillips is offering 3 day workshops

called Transformation Camp in his hometown, Golden, CO.

These three day workshops are packed full of encouragement, real people showing their real hearts, inspiration to live better physically and emotionally, and even the fun extras of nutrition and exercise tips from Bill Phillips himself!

At the Transformation Center

Each day started off with fuel for our bodies!

Working out with Bill Phillips...yes, that just happened.

The staff at Transformation Center is exceptional!

Shane Thomas, seated below, has been Bill Phillips right hand man for many years and had a lot of knowledge for me to soak in!

Some of the staff with one of our incredible teammates, Koz.

Chris and the trainers made a great team! And gosh, those trainers were cuuute. ;)

Chris and the trainers! My husband is pretty darn hot too. ;)

Bill Phillips treated us all to a very FINE dinner two nights in a row, lucky us! This meal was truly one of the best I've ever had. Thank you Bill!

At T Camp I was blessed to meet some beautiful people, inside and out.

Bill surprised us with fun gifts throughout the weekend!

Chris and I agreed that the weekend here was a priceless treasure and one to take with us into our next decade and beyond! It was such an appropriate way to celebrate our 30th birthdays! It is a challenge to live better physically and emotionally and to live always with a spirit of gratitude.

While we were in Denver for our DATE WEEKEND with no kids (!!!!), we enjoyed some of the city's best restaurants, a favorite: Lola Mexican.

Guacamole made fresh at our table.

How adorable is this?!

Chris' Mexican brunch.

We also spent some time city walking downtown. I'm a big lover and fan of downtowns as I've mentioned in my {after 30 bucket list}.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Regret happens so easily. Regret is caused several ways but one common form of regret is dreams left unfulfilled.

It BEGINS with a tiny flash of inspiration, ideas start to mix in our heads, we entertain and grow those thoughts until we have created a dream within the walls of our hearts. We may hold them quietly or we may declare them to this whole little-big world (as I like to do) ;) but either way, most of us have them...and that is a GOOD & BEAUTIFUL thing! Dreams breathe life into our steps, they are the force of wind that give us wings and prevent us from becoming lukewarm and stale.

But, unrealized dreams sometimes end in regret. Regret feels so permanent, so final, and sometimes hopeless. If we realize AHEAD of time that the precious dreams we cling to will END with regret if we don't take action then maybe we would ACT on our dreams with more fervor and replace the wishing and dreaming with DOING. We should live our lives with a "regret prevention" mindset. Some regret is normal and necessary for growth in our full circle of life but a lot of regret is negative baggage that CAN BE PREVENTED by replacing our apathy with ambition.

Sometimes we spend so much TIME tapping our computer keys, scrolling through online inspiration, but then claim we don't have time to do anything! That doesn't make logical sense loves. ;) Did I really just write that "out loud"? We live an imaginary, unreal life instead of making our own lives real and beautiful. I absolutely adore online inspiration but it should be used as a springboard to jump into your own home and work some magic instead of something that will greedily take your time from your own beautiful life.

Be a magic maker!

So many times we make excuses for our unmet dreams, we blame, or we drag our toes in self pity because we are waiting for "the perfect time". Those attitudes are useful for nothing. So stop that silly stuff, chin up, and start living. Take action in spite of the excuses. After all, our "dreams won't work unless we do".

Once we start cultivating habits of action that produce beauty in our lives, it will give instant joy to our lives and to those around us. The energy from that joy will fuel our spirits to jump up and dream and do more! And then...ta da...our normal little life becomes a happy little life!

Remember, dreams don't happen and beauty doesn't appear unless you rise up, take action, and MAKE THEM HAPPEN. And the best part of it all is that we are each fully capable of making most of our dreams happen! Humans are a magnificent mystery of talent and ability.Never underestimate what you're capable of.

Of course there will be bad days, difficult seasons, trials that test us, and miserable heartbreaks along the way. I've experienced plenty of all and I still wrestle with extremely difficult battles in my daily life. But that is simply part of the full circle of life on earth. Those times are necessary to give us the will, ability, and character to create the beautiful moments!

Dreams are proof of hope. Never let any trial rob you of the treasure of hope. To kindle the flame, I'm a goal-setter and list-maker! Last year I showed you a post on my REVERSE BUCKET list. I was reflecting back on my first 30 years of life and I made a list of 30 things I ALREADY did before I was 30.

click on image to be directed to that list and post

At the closing of that post I promised to deliver a list of 30 things I wanted to do AFTER I was 30! I recently turned 30 and boom, boom, pow. I completed that list! :)

Some things on this list are silly and little, simply symbols of enjoying the small things in life.

Other things seem boldly out of reach but worthwhile dreams usually are!

18. Buy a boat to remind us where we came from (Lake Powell) and to remember to stop and play. Done!!.

19. Run some sort of race that requires all my mental strength to complete...something that pushes me beyond my limits. (DONE!! I ran a half marathon in spring 2014, and another half in 2015, and also a full in 2015!!!)

20. Be financially able to bless people back who have blessed us when we experienced times of need. To all those ministering angels from our past, your goodness is never forgotten.

21. Fully recover from a personal struggle that I battle daily.

22. Live a life of being an inspiration to people (including public speaking) and also ALWAYS allowing myself to be inspired by people...never losing my sense of wonder.

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I'm Lisa, I am passionate about the beauty of life. I'm a lover of the seasons and find happiness in all details. Entertaining, parties, and home decor energize me. My husband of 13 years is my ultimate best friend and my 3 boys make my heart smile daily. I love deeply, feel deeply, and live deeply.